What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 21, 2026, at 1615 local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D departed Central Maine Regional Airport (Norridgewock, ME) on skis for a local flight to moosehead lake. The pilot conducted a low approach and initiated landing on the frozen surface of moosehead lake. During touchdown, the frozen surface began shifting, prompting the pilot to abort the landing. Shortly thereafter, the pilot observed the right ski had rotated downward approximately 45–90 degrees.
The pilot returned to Central Maine Regional Airport and coordinated with ground personnel for guidance on landing with the ski misaligned. A landing was attempted near a snowbank to minimize the risk of nose-over. During the landing roll, the aircraft entered the snowbank, resulting in a forward tilt followed by a roll to the right.
Post-incident examination revealed damage to the nose section, right side of the cowling, both skis, and landing gear struts. Both skis appeared to have been improperly installed. Subsequent inspection determined that the primary cause of the incident was improper installation of the aircraft’s skis, identified as federal 1500A. The skis had been installed by the pilot under his private pilot privileges in accordance with 14 CFR appendix a to part 43(c)(18).
No injuries occurred to the pilot or the sole passenger. Weather at the time was visual meteorological conditions with light winds. The event was classified as an incident under FAA criteria.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 21, 2026, AT 1615 LOCAL TIME, A TAYLORCRAFT BC12-D DEPARTED CENTRAL MAINE REGIONAL AIRPORT (NORRIDGEWOCK, ME) ON SKIS FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT TO MOOSEHEAD LAKE. THE PILOT CONDUCTED A LOW APPROACH AND INITIATED LANDING ON THE FROZEN SURFACE OF MOOSEHEAD LAKE. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE FROZEN SURFACE BEGAN SHIFTING, PROMPTING THE PILOT TO ABORT THE LANDING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT OBSERVED THE RIGHT SKI HAD ROTATED DOWNWARD APPROXIMATELY 45–90 DEGREES.
THE PILOT RETURNED TO CENTRAL MAINE REGIONAL AIRPORT AND COORDINATED WITH GROUND PERSONNEL FOR GUIDANCE ON LANDING WITH THE SKI MISALIGNED. A LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED NEAR A SNOWBANK TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF NOSE-OVER. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE SNOWBANK, RESULTING IN A FORWARD TILT FOLLOWED BY A ROLL TO THE RIGHT.
POST-INCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE NOSE SECTION, RIGHT SIDE OF THE COWLING, BOTH SKIS, AND LANDING GEAR STRUTS. BOTH SKIS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION DETERMINED THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE AIRCRAFT’S SKIS, IDENTIFIED AS FEDERAL 1500A. THE SKIS HAD BEEN INSTALLED BY THE PILOT UNDER HIS PRIVATE PILOT PRIVILEGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR APPENDIX A TO PART 43(C)(18).
NO INJURIES OCCURRED TO THE PILOT OR THE SOLE PASSENGER. WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT WINDS. THE EVENT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT UNDER FAA CRITERIA.